Nokia released their first 2-megapixel cameraphones for CDMA networks such as those owned by Sprint and Verizon on Monday, and made several other major announcements as well.

However, the biggest story for Nokia's business  though it won't affect consumers at all  was the merger of Nokia's back-end networks business with that of Siemens. The new company, Nokia Siemens Networks, will have 15.8 billion/year ($20.0 billion) in revenue, according to Nokia. Nokia Siemens Networks will sell systems for GSM, HSDPA, WiMAX, and other similar networks to mobile operators such as Cingular and T-Mobile.

More exciting for US consumers was the launch of the Nokia 6275i, a 2-megapixel cameraphone for CDMA networks that will be Nokia's highest-end CDMA phone so far. A pocket-sized candybar phone looking much like a sleeker version of the Nokia 6236i, the 6275i will have a high-resolution, 320x240 screen, Bluetooth, a microSD memory card slot and an integrated music player supporting MP3 and AAC-encoded music. The phone supports the new 2-GB MicroSD cards.

Nokia also announced the 2875i, most probably as a replacement for the existing 6236i. The new 2875i, which looks very similar to the 6275i, contains a 1.3 megapixel camera, a lower-res 128x160 screen and no memory card slot. Both phones will appear before the end of this year.

Oddly, neither phone supports EV-DO, the high-speed network adopted by Sprint, Verizon and Alltel. Nokia, the world's leading phone manufacturer (ranked fourth in the U.S.) hasn't yet produced a single EV-DO phone; their few branded EV-DO models, such as the 6305i, are actually built by Korean manufacturer Pantech, lacking the feel of the Nokia handsets.

Nokia announced a few more phones, of which the only one scheduled for the US is the 6080, an update to the popular 6030 low-end phone for Cingular. The 6080 raises the screen resolution to 128x160 and adds a VGA camera, EDGE higher-speed data and global roaming to that entry-level model.

Nokia also revealed a few more details about their new store opening in Chicago on June 24, which will be followed by a shop on New York's Fifth Avenue this fall. In the stores, shoppers will be able to send text messages that will be shown on displays at all Flagship Stores around the world. The Flagship Store's staff will be graduates of a special "Nokia Academy" program giving them greater technical knowledge than the average cell-phone store employee. And the Chicago store will be home to a Vertu Lounge mini-store, showcasing Nokia's super-high-end line of luxury phones.

About the Author

PCMag.com's lead mobile analyst, Sascha Segan, has reviewed hundreds of smartphones, tablets and other gadgets in more than 13 years with PCMag. He's the head of our Fastest Mobile Networks project, hosts our One Cool Thing daily Web show, and writes opinions on tech and society.
Segan is also a multiple award-winning travel writer. Other than ... See Full Bio

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